by Lilybeth Ison
MANILA – Damages and losses to agriculture due to Tropical Depression “Usman” (now a low pressure area) has reached PHP195.36 million as of 5 p.m. Sunday, according to the Department of Agriculture.
The DA’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DA-DRRM) Operation Center said that some PHP177.41 million in damage was recorded for palay crops alone, with 7,352 metric tons (MT) in potential volume production loss – affecting 8,844 hectares farm land in the provinces of Quezon, Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Sorsogon, and Samar.
The total number of rice farmers affected was 6,318.
Damage to corn crops, on the other hand, also increased to PHP976,267 million with volume production loss of 11 MT.
The areas affected were 563 hectares and 276 corn farmers in Albay, Camarines Sur, and Masbate provinces.
For high value crops, the DA said some PHP16.97 million worth of fruit trees, assorted vegetables and root crops were damaged, with 1,132 MT volume production loss.
The total affected area was 428 hectares and 1,277 farmers in the provinces of Albay, Camarines Sur, Masbate, and Sorsogon.
